Shell used in warfare



J. W. ROONEY.

SHELL USED IN WARFARE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2|. I918.

1,368,057. Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

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PATIENT OFFICE.

101m winner: RODNEY, or DUNEDIN, New ZEALAND.

SHELL USED IN WARFARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

Application filed March 21, 1918. seriaino. 223,774.

To-aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM RODNEY, a subject of King George V of Great Britain, residing at 40 Bowling street, Dunedin, in the Dominion of New Zealand,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shells Used Warfare, of which the following is a speclficatlon.

This invention relates to high explosive shells used in war-fare. that class of shell used in naval war-fare.

The object of my invention is to produce a projectile which will leave the muzzle of a gun at a very much greater velocity than the projectile at present in use, and wh1ch w1ll, at a point in its flight, pro ect from within itself an ordinary or high explosive shell, thus increasing the range of ordnance.

The projectile comprises what may be termed a casing, wherein an ordinary or h gh explosive shell is placed. The said casing is made to fit the bore of a gun, and is as light as is practicable. The force of the explosiori'in the gun operates on an area equal to theb'ase of an ordinary shell, giving a greatly increased velocity, mainly on account of the considerable reduction in the weight of the combined casing member and pro-' jectile, and during the flight of my shell, by reason of the loss of its outside casing, the weight of the projectile continuing in flight is reduced approximately to half that of an ordinary shell. This gives a much greater range than if an ordinary heavy'shell was fired from the same gun.

If it is desired to further project the inner shell at a predetermined time, an explosive charge set with a time fuse is placed in the base of the outer containing shell, so that at the required time, after leaving the muzzle of the gun, the charge will explode, projecting forward the inner shell, thus adding to the velocity already attained.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a view in section embodying one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section embodying a form of my invention for use when it is desired to shatter the outer casing.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line A-B, Fig. 1, showing means to transmit a spinning motion to the inner shell.

Referring to the type of projectile illustrated in F 1g. 1, the main parts comprise an outer casing 1, wherein an ordinary or high It relates also to explosive projectile 2 is housed, the outer casing is made suitable to theebore of the gun, and the inner projectile is a free fit in the casing. The middle part of the outside casing is reduced in diameter to lessen the weight, as at 3, and has at its base part small holes 4 penetrating 'to the bottom of the inner projectile to allow free access of air to prevent a vacuum being formed. The diameter of the outer casing and inner projectile are so proportioned that the sectional area of the outer casing-will be greater than the cross sectional area of the inner projectile.

In construction, itwould be an advantage to have the projectile tapering from the crown 5 of its point to its base to allow it to leave the outer casing .1 with freedom.

The type of shell illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a casing 1 adapted to house the projectile 2. In this type of shell provision is made to shatter the outside casing after the projectile has been ejected therefrom; for this purpose a time fuse. 6, powder trains 7, and explosive charges 8 are employed.

The casing in this form also has its base provided with holes or transverse ways 4 penetrating to the bottom of the inner end of the projectile to allow free-access of air to prevent a vacuum being formed.

The spinning motion is transmitted to the inner shell by means of the lug or clutch 2 which may be attached to the base of the inner projectile and fit into a corresponding shotnll formed in the base of the outer s e 16" gun under the conditions of my system, the area of the shell being approximately 50", and its casing approxlmately 201", it is readily observed that under the explosive force of 1000 lbs. to the square inch, the 8" shell would be projected from the gun under a total force of 201,000 lbs., while if a shell 8 in diameter is fired from a gun under the conditions of the system at present in use, with the same exploslve force per square inch as above, the total explo sive forcewould only be 50,000 lbs; therefore, a projectile discharged from a gun under the conditions of my system would have four times greater explosive force behind it than if discharged under the conditions at present known. It follows that, if I makemy shell considerably longer than llhe following remarks are set forth to illustrate the efficiency of my invention.

If a shell 8 in diameter is fired out of a the ordinary 8" one, and the shell and its casing is approximately one half the wei ht of a 16" proectile; with a-fgreater' exp 0- sive force an the weight 0 the shell de- -creased, I procure a considerable increase of duration of flight, and consequently increased ra 1 What I c aim asnew by Letters Patent is 1. A ro'ectile comfrising a casing ada tedto tteboreo agunand with a recess extending inwardly end, an inner projectile partially housed in said recess, said casing having a blunt forward end to ofier head resistance for retarding its flight to permit the ejection of the projectile therefrom during flight, said casing provided with transverse ways com municating with theinner end of said recess to permit the access of air into the recess during flight of the projectile from the and desire to secure casing.

2. A projectile comprising a casing adapted to fit the bore of a gun and rovided with a recess extending inwardly rom one end,-

an inner projectile partially housed in said recess, said casing having a blunt forward end to offer head resistance for retarding its flight to rmit the ejection of the projectile there rom during flight, explosion Frovi ed rom one.

charges inthe sides of said casing, .and

means for exploding said explosive charges.

3. A ro'ectile com ted tofft the bore 0 a gun and rovi ed with a recess extending inwardly rom one end an inner projectile partially housed in said recess, said casing having a blunt forward end to offer head resistance for rerising a casing ad? tarding its flight to permit the ejection of theinner projectile therefrom durin flight explosive charges in the sides and 0 said casing, means for exploding the explosive charge in the base, and owder trains communicating with said exp osive charge in the base and sides of the casing member.

4. A projectile comprising an outer casing, an inner projectile partly housed in saidcasing, and means for shatterin the casin at a predetermined time during ight to re eve the inner projectile of the wei ht thereof for continuing the flight of the inner projectile In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

JOHN WILLIAM ROONEY.

Witnesses:

THOMAS CONLY ROBERT PARK, r. 

